Appreciate The Sunrise

Just another day for a health care worker in America. I was driving to work this morning, and my mind was wandering all over the place thinking about work and life. And, then I turn the corner, and I see the sunrise, and I had to stop.

And, sometimes life does that to you. We’re knee deep every day in our usual day-to-day things, and then something happens to just stop you in your tracks. Of course, there are the life altering things that we all know about. However, there are the simple things in life, like a sunrise.

So, just a simple message today. Take some time to recognize and to appreciate the simple things in life. Take a quick break. Take a breath. Close your eyes, and appreciate a quick meditative moment before getting back to the grind and the stress. Thank you for reading this, and I wish you a great day!

Small Towns Against The World

“My cup runneth over with kindness” -- Dr. Mike Sevilla

I have to tell all of you that I have been overwhelmed (in a good way) with all the feedback that I have received about my essay last week about my hospital and my community. When I go into the hospital, I always have someone stop me, or give me a thumbs up as I’m looking down the hall. When I’m in the store (with my mask on), I have people turn their grocery cart all the way around to make sure that it’s me, and then they say so many kind things.

In addition, I’ve been receiving notes like the one pictured here. And, our office has been receiving offers of kind gestures like lunch and other treats for “All the great work your office is doing during this COVID pandemic.” It is with much appreciation, that I say, “Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!”

Small towns and small communities do come together when needed. It sometimes feels like Salem Ohio against the rest of the world. All this attention has really restored my faith in people, and has reminded me that there are only a few (loud) actors out there on social media. I’m still convinced that the majority of people out there are fair-minded and kind people. I love being a doc in this community! Thanks for reading this, and I wish you a great day!

New Year's Check-In

Today is January 10, 2022, and how are those New Years changes going for you. Full disclosure, not really going well for me. The New Year’s “R”-word is triggering for me, so I don’t mention it (resolutions) - Hehe.

Ever since my surgery 2 years ago (see this blog post for further explanation of what happened there), I’ve really been trying to make some small changes in my life when it comes to my own health. Early in 2020, I was really watching my weight go down, and I was really feeling good with myself.

Then, Ohio closed down in March 2020, and then it seemed like the world closed down after that. And, life has not been the same since then. Like most of you out there, I gained that “COVID 20” pounds back (and more), and my mental health was messed up for a long time. And, I’ve been through a lot in the past couple of years (journaled all over social media). But, now as 2022 has arrived, I’m ready to again to try to improve my life.

So, if you made big goals for yourself, and one week into the year, you think you are faltering, you’re not. Goals are lofty thoughts to have, but you’re not going to get there in one week. Quit beating yourself up, and don’t quit altogether.

One step forward at a time. That’s a kind of mantra that I try to tell myself every day. Even if it’s a baby step forward, it’s a step forward. Something that I have learned in the past week is that there are a lot of people like me out there who are going through the same thing. Let’s stick together. Never think you’re alone out there. Check in. Say hello, and let’s move forward - Together. Thanks for reading this, and I wish you a great week!

Shout out to Small Hospitals

I’m a small-time doc in a small town and I work at a small hospital in the Midwest, and I’m proud of it. The huge university hospitals (like Cleveland Clinic) get all the glory (especially in society and in the press), but it is small hospitals like mine that drive this country.

Been really weird working at a small hospital, where it seems like the emotions are more magnified than in the big city. A year ago, it seems like every day there was a local community group bringing food or bringing treats for the hospital workers. Nationally, there was this outcry to recognize those in the medical field. 

And, then, something changed. Now, for some reason, both nationally and locally, medical workers are seen as “the problem,” and there is a lot of negative emotion directed as us. And, it seems locally, it seems like that negative emotion is magnified. Why did that happen and how did we get here?

As I wrote previously, despite all the headaches of what I do, I still love my job. But, I definitely understand and I empathize with those who have left the medical field altogether. We have our own unique labor shortage and labor crisis. Paraphrasing from the restaurant industry, “Everyone is short staffed. Be kind to those who show up for work.”

So, shout out to all those in the medical industry working in small towns and in small hospitals. I see you out there, and we see you out there. I know you are hurting physically and emotionally these days. Stay strong, ask for help if you need it, and stay safe. Thanks for reading this, and I hope that you are having a good day....

Happy New Year?

Yes, it’s the new year, but I’m not ok. You’re not ok. I’m glad that we are given permission to say this now, especially in the medical community. I’ve been conditioned (by my profession and by society expectations) to just keep going. 

I talked about the day after Christmas holiday weekend in a previous post. The day following the New Year’s weekend in a doctor’s office during the pandemic was the same thing. Once the office turned the phones on,  there was a shockingly deafening sound of all the phone lines ringing at once, quite scary, I have to say. It was call after call, after call, after call. People who felt ill. People who where possibly exposed to COVID. People who were definitely exposed to COVID. Those who tested at home. Those who could not find a home test - anywhere.

Then, people came to see me. “I heard home testing was not accurate,” someone said. “I need a PCR test for my employer,” another person said. “What do you mean you ran out of in-office tests?” The amount of concern, emotion, and anger out there, is still palpable, and I hope my personal protective equipment helps me deflect the emotion out there in addition to the physical ailments out there.

And, that was Monday. Happy New Year. Thanks for reading this, and I hope you’re having a good week....

(fyi, in case you were wondering, our office were only out of testing supplies for a short period of time. We’re back up and running and COVID testing in-office again)

Found My Why

I know people get on social medial to complain and to bash this person or that person. Other people use social media to sometimes vent (see my post yesterday). But, today, I wanted to say that even though I’m dealing with COVID and with a lot of other things in medicine, I still LOVE my job and I’m honored with people’s trust in me with their health.

Last week, from one of my pediatric patients, I received the cute Christmas gift pictured. Some people don’t know that Family Doctors see kids as patients, in addition to their parents, and their families. I was having an extraordinarily tough day last week, and this gift arrived along with a touching Christmas card.

And, at that moment, my day seemed to freeze. I was thrown back to my days of medical school when I would dream about taking care of kids and families, and occasionally receiving a pleasant surprise. And, for the rest of my day, I had this cheesy  grin on my face, and my office staff was probably thinking I finally lost my mind.

One of the phrases I’m seeing on social media these days, especially with the New Year around the corner, is “Find Your Why.” I’m lucky and fortunate enough to have found my why, and that is being a Family Medicine Physician, to take care of my patients and my community. And, even with all the headaches of my job, and the controversies associated with COVID and other topics, I still believe that I have found my calling, and I hope that you have “Found Your Why” as well. Thanks for reading this, and I hope you’re having a great day.....

Never Been Like This

At a family medicine office, the week between Christmas and New Years, is usually pretty relaxed. Usually during this week, I’m doing things like tidying up my office, and doing some office cleaning that I have been neglecting for the past 51 weeks.

However, we are now in the age of COVID. And this week has been unlike any other week in my professional life, and I’ve been in practice more than 20 years. Our office is fortunate in that we have access to COVID test kits (at least for now), and as soon as our office turned on our phones Monday morning, the phone lines did light up like the Christmas tree that we have in our waiting room. And, we are seeing more patients now, then during our busiest time of the year.

Don’t get me wrong, the positive test results that are happening are not just in “the unvaccinated.” We are seeing positive tests in those “triple vaccinated,” as well. So, yes, there is a chance that you’ll get COVID, even if you’re vaccinated. However, in the cases that I have seen, those who have been vaccinated, are just not as sick. Of course, that is my own anecdotal story, and strictly speaking not “scientific evidence.”

Something that all of us can agree on is that we are tired of this pandemic. We may have different opinions on how we got here, and how to get out of the pandemic. But, if you do seek medical attention for whatever ails you, please keep in mind that those who work in medical offices (and hospitals and anyone in the medical field) are people too are we want to help you, and we want to vent about this pandemic just like you. All I ask is that you pack some patience and understanding when you go to the doctor’s office, especially during this holiday time. Thank you for reading this, and hope you are having a good week....

Grieving Christmas: One Year Later

It’s hard to believe that is has been more than a year since my dad passed away. The grieving process is such a unique and interesting thing. Since I have been so public in sharing my process, it has been so helpful for all those (friends and strangers) who have reached out to me - whether they have been grieving for 1 month or 50 years.

“The Year of Firsts” is a real thing, in that the first birthday with them gone, the first Christmas, the first holidays, etc. It’s totally emotional, and totally not logical. It just kind of hits you without you knowing it. There were times when I remembered the exact same day one year earlier - recalling back minute by minute.

But now, it’s the second Christmas without dad. Everyone has told me that it doesn’t get better, it just gets different, every year. It’s not that the pain is any less. For me, it’s just that the positive memories are a little stronger this year than last year. Will that continue? Who knows? Grief is a strange thing. Thank you for reading this, and I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.....

First COVID Vaccine Dose: Reflecting One Year Later

Christmas Eve 2020: One Year Ago

Hard to believe that it has been a year since I received my first COVID vaccine dose. I was trying to remember back to what the world was back then and what I was thinking. I was so, so, so scared of getting COVID infection, because I saw those patients every day in the hospital, and as a physician, I knew the real story of what was happening to these patients, and not what the media was saying.

I was so concerned about potentially bringing COVID home to my family, and would they be infected? When I received the call that there would be a vaccine dose available for me, a sense of relief went through by system. And, when I finally received that first dose, I felt my first sense of hope that I have felt for the past year. 

By taking care of these COVID patients in the hospital, I knew how much these patients (and families) were suffering, just with my day to day work, and it was right then that I told myself that I would try to prevent this from happening to anyone else. And, that’s one thing that drives my passion for COVID vaccination.

Yes, there is too much politics associated with COVID vaccination. And, yes, the medical establishment has done a poor job of communicating to the American public. This post is not to continue the blame game.

I respect people’s right to choose to get the vaccine or not to get the vaccine. It is my job to try to talk to my patients and to talk to my community, to try to address their questions and their concerns. There is no quick way through this, and if it takes me talking to one person at a time about the COVID vaccine, then I’ll do it.

I wish you peace this Christmas Eve. I also wish you health and happiness. I appreciate you reading this, and I hope that we can work together to get through this pandemic....

Omicron Variant Detected in Ohio

The Ohio Department of Health reported yesterday that The Ohio State University laboratory confirmed the first two cases of the COVID Omicron Variant in central Ohio. The two cases were detected in two adult males who tested positive via PCR test on December 7, 2021. These individuals were found to have mild symptoms and are not hospitalized. (WCMH)

Even with the current Delta variant, I have received questions about how to detect Delta variant, Omicron variant, or other variant? Can the tests out now detect which variant it is? Can you know today if you have a COVID variant?

So, what happens is that variants are detected via PCR testing that is usually done by hospitals. However, these positive PCR tests are then sent to larger regional hospitals, like Cleveland Clinic or Ohio State University hospitals, and further testing is done at those facilities. What happens is that these special laboratories perform sequencing and this is where they figure out if it is Omicron. (BBC)

So, the rapid tests that you do a home, or the the rapid tests that are done through offices like ours, these tests do not have the capability to determine whether the COVID infection is Omicron or Delta variant, or other. What we can assume is that we know that Omicron is probably round this community and other communities.

However, the plan is the same. First, do NOT panic. To help prevent Omicron and COVID infections, please get vaccinated for COVID infection, and if you’re up for a COVID booster shot, please get that done. Are the vaccines out now going to work for Omicron? It’s still too early to say. Stay tuned.

Also, if you are not sure if there are vaccinated people where you are going, consider wearing a mask indoors. And finally, continue with your hand washing, hand sanitizer, and social distancing. We’re all in this together!